EDWARDSVILLE – Visiting Albright College used several big plays to race out to a 55-6 lead at the half and never looked back posting a 69-13 Middle Atlantic Conference victory over Wilkes University Saturday afternoon at Schmidt Stadium.
 
Wilkes slips to 1-6 overall and 1-5 in MAC play following the home defeat. Albright, winners of five straight MAC games, improves to 5-2 overall and 5-1 in conference games.
 
Albright wasted little time finding the big play to do its damage in the first quarter as the Lions used a 62-yard touchdown pass to open a 7-0 lead just four minutes into the game. On the ensuring Wilkes possession, the Colonels were forced to punt deep in their own zone where the Albright special teams unit made another big play to up the lead to 14-0 when Bobby Nye (Ephrata, PA/Ephrata)'s punt was blocked in the end zone and recovered by the Lions for the score.
 
Another deep strike from the Albright quarterback to wide receiver put the visitors out ahead 21-0 with 5:31 left in the opening quarter. The Colonels finally got on the board at the end of the first frame when Ryan Dailey (Easton, PA/Wilson) connected with Zach Bogoly (Easton, PA/Wilson Area) for a 13-yard touchdown pass. Mike Hauck (Fredericksburg, PA/Northern Lebanon)'s extra point try was blocked with the Colonels trailing 21-6 after one quarter of play.
 
Albright continued its scoring tear in the second quarter posting 34 unanswered points in the frame including a 71-yard punt return for a touchdown, 77-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown, and two long passing touchdowns to take a 55-6 lead at the break.
 
Wilkes scored its second touchdown of the game late in the third as Jose Tabora (Richland, NJ/St. Augustine Prep.), in relief of Dailey who was injured earlier in the quarter, threw his first career touchdown pass to Devin Fink who streaked down the middle of the field from 37-yards out. Hauck's extra point made it 62-13 Albright with 5:54 left in the third quarter.
 
The Lions added one more touchdown, its only rushing score of the game, at the start of the fourth quarter before both teams went scoreless over the final thirteen minutes of play.
 
Dailey finished 13-for-25 passing for a season-low 89 yards under major pressure from a fast and furious Albright pass rush throughout. Tabora threw for 67 yards on 4-for-7 passing and the one score, his first as a Colonel.
 
Jacob Brook (Layton, NJ/Kittatinny) led the Wilkes ground game rushing for 34 yards on seven attempts.
 
Tanner Stengel (Allentown, PA/Parkland) finished with a game-high 12 tackles to lead the Wilkes defense while also forcing a fumble that was recovered by the Colonels late in the third quarter halting a promising Albright drive.
 
Wilkes continues its home stretch next Saturday hosting Lycoming College (3-4, 2-4 MAC) at 1:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium.